MLB Player News

Nastrini (0-3) allowed nine runs (eight earned) on seven hits and six walks while failing to record a strikeout over 3.1 innings, taking the loss Wednesday versus the Blue Jays.

It was a second poor outing in three appearances this season for the rookie right-hander. He did fine in the first inning, but the Blue Jays struck back hard in the second and added two more runs to his line in the fourth. Nastrini has an 11.91 ERA, 2.56 WHIP and 8:13 K:BB over 11.1 innings this season. It's possible the White Sox try to let Nastrini learn on the job in the majors now that Brad Keller has elected free agency after being designated for assignment Sunday. If Nastrini gets another start, it's projected to be a rematch versus the Blue Jays in Chicago.

Jones didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against the Giants, allowing three runs on six hits and three walks across six innings. He struck out five.

The rookie delivered a fourth consecutive quality start Wednesday and generated a double play in three separate innings to keep the Giants from putting a runner in scoring position until the fifth frame. In that fifth inning, Jones allowed a double and an RBI single to the first two batters he faced, then he surrendered a two-run homer to Matt Chapman in the sixth. Jones is one quality start shy of the league lead and holds a 3.05 ERA with a 68:10 K:BB across 59.0 innings. He's tentatively scheduled to face the Tigers in Detroit on Tuesday.

Fried (4-2) earned the win over the Cubs on Wednesday, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits in a complete game. He struck out nine.

Fried dominated the Cubs' lineup in his second complete game of the season, retiring the first 15 batters he faced before surrendering a leadoff double to Ian Happ to open the bottom of the sixth. The lefty produced 18 whiffs in the contest and finished with a season-high nine strikeouts, while also not issuing any walks for first time in his last five starts. He's now gone at least seven innings in three of his last four outings, posting a 23:9 K:BB over that stretch.

Bassitt (4-6) earned the win Wednesday over the White Sox, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out four over seven scoreless innings.

Bassitt threw 70 of 107 pitches for strikes and no trouble protecting the large lead the Blue Jays established in the second inning. He's allowed three runs or fewer in each of his four starts in May, with Wednesday's effort being his best game of the year. The veteran right-hander is at a 4.39 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 49:25 K:BB through 55.1 innings over 10 starts this season. Bassitt's next start is projected to be a rematch with the White Sox in Chicago.

Pepiot allowed three runs on two hits, four walks and a hit batsman while striking out three over four-plus innings in a no-decision versus the Red Sox on Wednesday.

Pepiot returned from a lower left leg contusion that sent him to the injured list. He was cruising through the first four innings, but he put three straight batters on base to begin the fifth. Richard Lovelady couldn't slow down the Boston offense, leaving Pepiot to settle for a no-decision. The 26-year-old right-hander threw just 37 of 66 pitches for strikes in his return from injury. Pepiot now has a 3.98 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 44:15 K:BB over 40.2 innings across eight starts. It's unclear if his limited workload came from a pitch count or just the natural flow of the game. He's projected to make his next start at home versus the Athletics.

Dunning (3-3) took the loss Wednesday against Philadelphia, allowing five runs (three earned) on four hits and a walk over 3.1 innings. He struck out four.

Dunning hadn't made a start since May 4 after enduring an IL stint due to a strained rotator cuff and was limited to 74 pitches overall. He looked rusty, giving up a solo homer to J.T. Realmuto in the third and sending a pick-off attempt toward second base into the outfield to allow Nick Castellanos to score from third during the second frame. Dunning should remain on a pitch count for the next start or two as he gets fully stretched out. The 29-year-old is tentatively scheduled to face the Diamondbacks on Tuesday.

Smith-Shawver will be recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to start Thursday's game against the Cubs, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Smith-Shawver will be making his first big-league start of 2024 on Thursday after logging a 6.10 ERA and 1.52 WHIP through 31 innings across eight starts in Triple-A. He appeared in six games for Atlanta last season with mixed results, though he could find some success against a Cubs offense that ranks 10th in the National League with a .683 OPS.

Bello (5-2) allowed three runs on four hits and four walks while striking out six over six innings to earn the win over the Rays on Wednesday.

Bello completed six innings for the second time in eight outings this season, and he earned his second quality start in the process. The Rays scored three times in the second inning, but the Red Sox offense rallied for eight runs over the fifth and sixth frames to give Bello plenty of support. The right-hander is now at a 4.04 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 37:13 K:BB through 42.1 innings. Walks typically haven't been an outsized issue for Bello, so there's not much reason for concern that he was a little wild Wednesday. He's projected to make his next start on the road versus the Orioles.

Walker didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against Texas, allowing three runs on six hits and four walks across 4.2 innings. He struck out five.

Walker issued a season-high four walks Wednesday, two of which came in the fifth inning before he was yanked. After taking a comebacker off the foot in his last start end exiting early, Walker threw 86 pitches and didn't seem to be limited in any capacity. Although the 31-year-old owns a 5.06 ERA across 26.2 innings, he holds a 3-0 record and hasn't allowed more than three runs in a start since his 2024 debut. He's projected to make his next start Monday at the pitcher-friendly Oracle Park.

Manager Torey Lovullo said Wednesday that Kelly will undergo an MRI later this week to see how his strained right shoulder is progressing, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

Kelly's shoulder has kept him out of action since April 23, though he may be able to begin a throwing program in the near future if his MRI results come back clean. If the 35-year-old righty is cleared to begin throwing, a more defined return timeline may emerge, although he isn't eligible to return to Arizona's rotation until June 22.